Coruscant
by Six-Sided-Dice
Summary: Padawan Tyro and his Master Gavyn get to know each other during their first mission - to track down a group of radicals in Coruscant's undercity who kidnapped an influential senator. But when things don't go as planned, Gavyn questions Tyro's loyalties while Tyro questions his own right as Jedi after his expulsion from the order. A Pre-Order 66 story in the vein of the JA series.
1. 1 - Undercity - Part 1

**__****Sequel to "First Adventures". While reading it might offer more depth on these characters, it is not absolutely necessary for plot.**

**Timeframe: **Prequel trilogy. Final year of the Clone Wars, one year before Order 66.**  
**

**Genre: **Adventure, Action, Angst, Friendship**  
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**Characters: **

**Tyro- **_A fourteen-year-old Jedi Padawan, Tyro has a particular gift with technology, and the force. In his free time he hangs out in the undercity of Coruscant, a fan of the atmosphere and people—he tends to see the good in others beyond their more unsavory to keep a street-savvy appearance with his bright-green mohawk and general punky appearance. Despite this, Tyro is an exceptionally devoted Jedi. Less than a year after being accepted as a Padawan, he had his master expelled from the Jedi order for turning to the dark side. In doing so Tyro willingly gave up his apprenticeship for service to the AgriCorps. It was there that Gavyn found him and convinced him to resume his training as a Jedi._

**Gavyn- **_A seasoned veteran and Jedi master, Gavyn is a tower of man. He is a charismatic general, well equipped to the task of inspiring troops and managing military tactics. He has earned a reputation of being ruthless as well, due to a particularly brutal victory on Esseles, but Gavyn is actually quite an compassionate, affectionate and empathetic individual in person. He favors defensive lightsaber maneuvers and healing through the force._

**Cannon Character Cameos: **Jedi Council: Obi-Wan, Kit Fisto, Ki Adi Mundi, Mace Windu, Yoda

**Summary: **

For the first time since being expelled from the Jedi Order, Tyro returns to Coruscant with his new Master, Senior General Gavyn Jervada. The two get to know each other as they are assigned their first mission - to track down a group of radicals in the Undercity of Coruscant that have kidnapped an influential senator. But when things don't go as planned, Gavyn questions Tyro's loyalties while Tyro questions his own right to be a Jedi after all that has happened.**  
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**Warnings: **Language (mild, mostly star wars swears), violence (mild)

**A/N: **

_These characters were initially created for an Order 66 Star Wars D20 campaign, so we figured we should let them have some fun before meeting their inevitable fates. _

_In the spirit of tabletop games we tried something new, and wrote this piece using six-sided-dice for turning points and supporting characters, creating some rather interesting situations that really pushed these characters to their limits. **  
**_

* * *

**Underworld**

They were deep enough down where it was no longer possible to tell if it was night or day. It was just orange. Orange lamplight punctuated with the occasional bright flickering neon. People lined the streets, huddled by buildings, conversing in groups. Tyro kept a casual yet purposeful stride, Gavyn following behind. They had ditched their usual jedi attire for today, lightsabers hidden out of plain sight. Usually Tyro felt comfortable here, at home even, though things had changed since the war. Politics were nebulous. That aside though years of frequenting these streets had taught Tyro that while Jedi robes commanded respect, it was easier to talk to people when you were just...yourself.

The Orange district wasn't that bad, Tyro knew people here. That said, it was a center for crime. Occasionally someone would give a quick nod, or a "'sup Tyro," but when Tyro didn't stop to talk they knew he had business here and didn't push it further. People here was respectful like that.

As they rounded the next corner Tyro kept his senses alert. It was darker here, the only light came from the street they had just turned off of. The people here were different too. They didn't want to be seen, and probably for a good reason. "Don't make eye contact," He cautioned back to Gavyn once he was sure they were out of hearing range of the last being they passed. "And don't smile."

Normally Tyro tried to avoid places like these, this was the point where any fun or exploration that might be had was exceeded by the potential of danger. This was where their mission led them though. A senator had disappeared after a controversial speech. So far an investigation on the upper levels had clued them into what was unfortunately one of the shadier cantinas Tyro knew of. He was grateful when they made it to the dead end of the increasingly narrow street. Tyro reached out his senses, checking to make sure no one had followed them, seeing without looking. Only a moment's pause before he knew they were clear. "Stay cool," he mumbled to Gavyn. He stomped twice on the decaying duracrete, and the ground dropped away, plunging them into even blacker darkness.

Fortunately, Tyro seemed to know his way around. Gavyn followed him closely, mirroring his attitude. He wished he could return to the comfort of his familiar jedi robes, but he knew it would attract unwanted attention in these parts. Gavyn's broad shoulders scraped across the walls of the narrowing alleyway. "What kind of place is this, anyway?" Gavyn hissed, readjusting his bantha-leather coat sleeves. The jacket he picked up at the Jedi temple was just a bit too small for comfort.

When he and Tyro were assigned to search out a missing Senator, Gavyn was a bit surprised. It wasn't his usual gig at all, but since they were on a brief stint at the temple, they got the assignment. Additionally, the High Council seemed quite confident that the duo would have no problems.

Gavyn did not share their confidence. He had only taken Tyro as a Padawan several weeks ago, and they were still getting to know each other. There was a lot of apprehension in the air, neither of them willing to invest too much in the other quite yet. He doubted the wisdom of the Council for sending him on a mission so ill-equipped for his abilities. He was better suited to lead an army to a charge than slinking through the shadows of the undercity.

The real question was why in the world Tyro was familiar with such a joint. He expected Tyro to be an upstanding young Jedi, but when they met, he was faced with a technophillic punk. It was surprising that someone with such high moral standards would frequent seedy pubs like this. Was his reasoning for turning in his former master just some kind of ploy? Did Gavyn just adopt a bad egg, just waiting to jump ship to the dark side?

Stagnant air rushed past and suddenly the ground was visible. Tyro pulled the force around him, slowing his fall just at the last second, allowing him to land lightly on his feet. It was nothing too showy, barely noticeable. This was not the place to parade around Jedi tricks. He extended it to wrap around Gavyn as well. Perhaps the old man had this, but he wasn't taking any chances. Letting the Jedi Master land on his face wouldn't win them any points if they were trying to negotiate here, and it wouldn't be very considerate either. They were met with the mixed sound of some light applause, but mostly boos and catcalls as credit chips were tossed and shoved across tables. Entrances here were a form of entertainment. Tyro strode forward into the room with a sarcastic smile, waving dismissively. "Aw get off it, ya've got the next guy. Besides, you know it's more interesting when someone gets it once in a blue moon." The crowd mumbled in agreement and went back to their drinks.

Tyro jostled his way through the the dingy and crowded cantina, surveying the crowd from the corner of his vision. The room was a haze of smoke and dark lighting. Music blared loudly over the speakers, places like these didn't bother to afford real entertainment. That wasn't what they were about. This was a business place. Tyro rarely frequented this part of town yet he was surprised to notice that he knew a lot of people here. More than he expected. Some he wasn't surprised to see here, they, like this end of town, where people he preferred to not associate with, the rip-you-off, stab-you-in-the-back-types. Others though ranged from acquaintance to friend. While it made him feel more safe, something was off. They, like he, were not the sort to get in this dark and deep.

"Oi!" a voice called out over the music. Tyro looked over and locked eyes with a leather and stud clad Rodian.

Tyro nodded sharply back, a huge grin spreading across his face. It was Jeak. One of his best friends, the two of them went way back. Sure, Jeak had a tough exterior, beings didn't mess with him lightly, but more than anyone else here, he was a good guy. The guy did honest, well, as honest work as a scoundrel could, and drove a hard but fair bargain. That and he had saved Tyro's hide on more than one occasion, and Tyro every once in awhile had to return the favor.

"Go grab yourself a drink. It's gonna be weird with you just looming behind me," Tyro said back to Gavyn as he made his way over to Jeak. "If you need an excuse to join our conversation grab me a water or something. No booze. I'm not legal yet." Without looking back he strode off.

Gavyn smiled cheerfully at the young Rodian, making him one of the few people wearing a sincere smile at the bar. However, Tyro's tone struck a sour chord in him. The kid had a lot of nerve dismissing his own Jedi master like that. The teen jaunted off before Gavyn had a chance to say anything, although there wasn't much he could do without causing a scene here regardless.

Wounded and irritable, Gavyn shuffled to the bar. He muttered his order. Just because Gavyn was a Jedi didn't mean that he couldn't drink. Plus, he had recently picked up a fondness for cheap beer from his clone trooper friends. As he began sipping his drink, lamenting that this was in fact too cheap for his taste, Gavyn picked out the name _Daska Blith _from behind him. He turned around slowly, only to be surprised that the two women discussing the missing Senator making their way towards him. He turned back to his beer as they sat down beside him. Gavyn let his hair fall in front of his face as he listened.

"Do you think it is ironic. Making a pre-emptive strike on someone about to make a pre-emptive strike?" One of the women asked the other. They were both rough around the edges, armed, inked and ready for trouble.

"Don't be an idiot" The other snapped back. "You heard the speech." The hair on the back of Gavyn's neck stood up. He had just found their 'political activists'. Maybe Tyro knew a few things about this area after all.

* * *

Tyro and Jeak embraced with a rough slap on the back. "It's been ages! Where've ya been!" teased Jeak with a playful punch.

Tyro's smile faded slightly. It was true, he had missed the city. He had missed Jeak.

Jeak hesitated, lowering his tone. "Look man, sith happens, ya know? I'm not gonna push it but you know I got your back, yea?"

"Thanks man," Tyro said wearily. If only he knew how right he was. "I'll tell you later."

"Well at least tell me who you're with. You got a bodyguard now?" Jeak craned his neck to get a better view of Gavyn sitting hunched over the bar.

Tyro followed his gaze with a fond smile. "Yeah, he's...he's my...well you can guess, yea?" Tyro tugged on the vibrant green braid that hung by his left ear. Jeak was one of the few people down here who fully knew who, and what he was. He was cool about it, didn't let get in the way of their friendship.

"Oh wow, that's awesome man." Tyro grinned, it was. "I always imagined him different though...like not so big, darker hair..." Jeak continued to muse.

Tyro's face grew solemn. "Later, somewhere that's not here. Speaking of which," he lowered his voice, "what are you doing here?"

Jeak nodded, knowing what Tyro meant. This was not their usual part of town. "Man, you haven't been around lately have you?" Jeak shook his head, staring off into the distance. "The war's messed stuff up here. All the politics are just...weird now. Gangs, factions for causes. They've been upping the patrols in the districts too. At first it was clear they were trying to keep better tabs on things, but it's gotten worse lately. Business has been pushed back to places like this," he said darkly. Then he grinned. "Never would have thought it but it's been great though! You wouldn't believe the kind of credits I've made lately. I guess everything got centralized down here, better networking, more deals and jobs." Jeak always had an optimistic streak.

"You haven't heard anything about senator Daska Blith have you?"

Jeak shook his head. "Nothing more than I've told you, though if something's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if we could catch wind of it here."

"You say we…"

"Look, if two of you guys are down here than something real's going on. Of course I'm gonna have your back on this. Besides, solving your little mysteries always seems to work in my favor."

* * *

Gavyn was only halfway through his beer by the time the two vigilantes took three shots, picked up their weapons and starting heading out the door. He moved quickly to Tyro's side, disregarding any sort of embarrassment he might draw for his apparently too-cool-for-school-sanctioned-dangerous-missions Padawan. "We need to move now. I found the suspects." He commanded, in a hushed tone.

"Right," Tyro looked up, suddenly focused. Jeak gave a curt nod.


	2. 2 - Undercity - Part 2

Hurrying outside, Gavyn caught sight of the duo mingling around two speeder bikes at the end of the street. They laughed a bit, then pulled on their helmets. They needed transports _now__,_ otherwise they would be lost in the underground hive. Gavyn started checking out the nearest speeder to see if there was any kind of security on it, but luckily it happened to belong to Jeak.

"Hey, that's mine!" He protested, but his attitude shifted towards volunteer. "I'll drive."

Gavyn nodded abruptly before vaulting into the back seat.

"Follow those two thugs." Gavyn ordered, in his militant voice. They had just dashed off, and if they moved quickly, they would be able to keep up without grabbing their attention.

Jeak revved the speeder and gunned it, the acceleration pressing them to the back of their seats. Tyro took the moment to turn back to the jedi master crammed in the rear seat. "Wait...thugs? Seriously? And did you just try and _steal_ a speeder?"

Gavyn gave Tyro an incredulous look. They were in the pit of Coruscant, on a mission to rescue a high-profile Senetor. Speeders were stolen from this part of town all the time, for far less selfless reasons, and far better than thugs had done far worse than kidnap.

Jeak was a skilled pilot, fortunately. They had a bit of catching up to do, and he dodged in and out of the traffic effortlessly. Unfortunately, it was an effort to stay inside the vehicle while he did it. "Try not to attract attention!" Gavyn warned from the back, unsure how well the two teenagers could hear him with the rushing air around them.

Facing back to the front Tyro rolled his old man just did not get it. As much as he had proven himself worthy of trust and respect in other matters he did not know a thing about the undercity.

Tyro gripped his seat, grinning as Jeak rolled to dodge an oncoming speeder. Jeak's piloting was good. Besides, Tyro had to respect it. Though the Jedi Academy taught them basic piloting skills it was for starfighters and stuff. Jeak was the one who had taught Tyro how to navigate in places like these. They were gaining on the pair now. Jeak speed up.

Abruptly the pair of activists turned, disappearing down a side street. Jeak whispered a curse and pulled the speeder after them-into oncoming traffic. Horns honked furiously as Jeak skillfully dodged the vehicles, but it was already too late. One of the activists turned back, spotting them, then called over to her buddy. The gig was up.

Gavyn frowned. If Tyro's friend had not been so reckless, they might have been able to get the drop on them. He hastily buckled his seatbelt, knowing the ride was about to get even bumpier.

Immediately the pair shot straight up through the skyscrapers, veering around another corner. "Hold on to your Tauntauns!" Jeak teased with a grimace. He took the turn at a 90 degree angle. The pair speed higher, miles above the ground now, but they were gaining on them, almost there. Tyro leaned forward in his seat, reaching for his lightsaber, ready to pounce.

Suddenly something rammed into the side of the speeder. Tyro looked over just in time to see it was another speeder, but he couldn't tell anything else. There was a sputter and the engine of the speeder gave out, hurling them towards the ground in a tailspin.

Desperately Jeak tried to re-engage the engine, still slamming his foot uselessly against the gas. "Tyro, fix it!"

"What do you take me for, some kind of wizard!?"

"Actually-"

There was no way to fix that kind of damage this fast. With the ground rushing up they only had moments before they would hit it. "Nevermind, don't answer that." Tyro closed his eyes, embracing the fall, letting his mind and body relax. The force swirled around him, extending around everyone else, around the speeder, stabilizing it, unwinding their spin. Gently, the bottom of the vehicle touched the ground. Tyro released the force from it, letting it flow back into the world around them.

He exhaled, taking in their surroundings as he let it flow from him. Only then did Tyro realize he was still floating. He hit the ground with a shock, staggering back a few steps. Feeling lightheaded he took a few panting breaths before looking around- they had totally lost the group they were chasing.

Impatiently, Gavyn tugged his seatbelt off and jumped out of the speeder. He was accustomed to working with disciplined soldiers. He was frustrated, but his experience as a jedi told him that he needed to let go. Anger was not going to solve this problem.

Gavyn looked up at the towering skyscrapers. He saw the two women looking down on them from an alleyway, about a hundred meters above their heads. They seemed satisfied that the speeder was smoking, and out of commission, and disappeared down the alleyway. As for the speeder that crashed into them, Gavyn had a feeling that they were not in league, and it was a simple accident due to reckless driving. They likely would not be coming back, even if they were just trying to avoid exchanging insurance information.

Quickly glancing around, Gavyn noticed a service ladder leading up the side of the skyscraper. They were not in the overworld yet, and the buildings did not do much to keep up sleek appearances. Gavyn glanced at Tyro. He had done well catching the speeder, and was busy trying to clear some of the smoke with Jeak. His attitude in the cantina still stung, but Gavyn wanted to give him a chance to demonstrate the skill in the underworld he had a reputation for. "C'mon Tyro." He urged. "Leave the speeder, we need to get up there." He said gesturing to the ladder. "Lead the way."

"Right, Master Jervada," Tyro nodded. "Ya comin' Jeak?"

"Nah man," Jeak replied and tinge of bitterness seeping into his voice. "I kinda wanna live to see another day. I've decided that two of you guys is more than I can handle."

"Sorry man," Tyro said sympathetically, starting up the ladder.

"_Jactna!_" Jeak cursed. A metallic clang echoed up the alleyway.

Tyro looked back "Hey! Don't hurt it anymore than it already is. I'll be back to fix it as soon as I'm done with this other stuff. You know that."  
"Yea, I know," came the remorseful reply. Jeak looked over, pointing an accusatory finger "Hey, don't do anything stupid, ya got that? I'm holding you to being alive to fix this thing." He grinned.

* * *

Tyro scampered up the rest of the ladder, offering Gavyn a hand as they got to the top. He looked around. It was just the top of this building and some electrical boxes. A dead end. Tyro frowned. This was a level of the city, they had seen the two women up this high a few buildings over. There had to be a secret way over. Tyro looked around again, this time more carefully. A scuff of rubber shoe, a slightly worn and blacker brick in the wall, a security camera. Tyro froze, this was the right place. "Camera, there," he whispered under his breath back to Gavyn, flicking his eyes over so the Master could follow his gaze. Luckily it seemed to be pointed another way right now, it hadn't seen them yet. He looked around to make sure there weren't any more, and satisfied it was the only one, pulled out his datapad. This looked like one of the older, less secure models-the kind that could be hacked wirelessly. Looked like this group, like many in the undercity couldn't afford much. It took him a moment to find their system. It was surprisingly well encrypted actually. Someone knew what they were doing. This was going to take a bit longer than expected. He glanced back uneasily at the Jedi master behind him, but the man seemed to be waiting patiently. There was that at least. A few minutes later and he was in. Now to loop the footage and...done.

"We're good," he said looking back to Gavyn. "Entrance is activated by that brick over there. Not sure if there is a better way, I think this is already their back door. So basically I don't know how sneaky we can be. I also don't know anything about this group." Tyro was a bit frustrated at that, usually he did his research better than just mindlessly chasing someone into what could be a trap, but he understood why Gavyn had had them leave when they did. "So I don't know what we're in for, but we can expect anything from traps to a fight." He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "Ready whenever you are."

Gavyn nodded to his Padawan. "Stay alert." He warned. It was the best advice there was in the face of uncertainty. He approached the brick, and put his hand on in. He pushed a little harder. There was no change. Gavyn had never been very skilled with electronics. He looked to Tyro for guidance on activating security system.

Tyro rolled his eyes with a wry smile. "Slide it."

"Ah." Gavyn replied, trying out the new technique. The brick slid to the right and the then a narrow passage slid to the left, exposing a dark corridor.

The hair on the back of Gavyn's neck stood up. There was something wrong about this. Gavyn activated his lightsaber just in time to deflect two blaster bolts. The lightsaber illuminated several feet in front of him, but there was nobody in sight yet. It would be no good trying to take cover in here, even pressed against the side of the corridor, Gavyn still would take up most of the space. Two more blaster bolts fired, and with a quick move, Gavyn deflected them both back down the corridor. "_Shit!_" He heard a woman cuss from the darkness, then the scampering of boots running away.

Tyro pressed his back to the wall outside as blaster fire subsided. He peeked around the corner to the sight of Gavyn still standing defensively, lightsaber aglow. "So much for our cover," Tyro couldn't help but mumble through gritted teeth. After all that bother they had went to disguising themselves and hacking security systems. Subtlety was clearly not one of Gavyn's practiced traits.

Their assailant had scampered off, but Tyro was sure there were others. Doubtless she was about to get reinforcements. The way he saw it they had three choices, leave now and potentially lose the group, storm the place, which, looking Gavyn over, actually seemed like it might be plausible, or see if he could talk to these guys. An activist group like this had to have some kind of reasoning behind their actions that they would be eager to preach to almost anyone. Hopefully Jedi weren't right out.

Cautiously Tyro stepped forward, hand hovering over his lightsaber, ready to draw it if need be. "Hey look, we're not lookin' for a fight, man. We don't want to hurt you or anything. Let's talk this out."

There was a long silence, then, slow footsteps. "Hand over those Jedi weapons of yours, then we'll see about talking this out," came the venomous reply. "Don't try anythin' funny, I've got the whole place alerted to you here." Tyro hoped she was bluffing The woman stepped the rest of the way out of the darkness.

She was dressed in classic enough underworld attire, but the patches she wore, the tattoos, colors; Tyro recognized none of it. He had thought he knew most of the gangs in the Coruscant Undercity, but clearly not. Had things really changed that much in the past few months he was gone?

"Your weapons," she prompted darkly again.

"You don't need to take our weapons," Tyro commanded, vibrant green eyes piercing her brown ones. For a moment she held his gaze. Then her pupils focused again.

"Really now?" She mused with a sardonic smile, raising her blaster.

Tyro made a good effort, but Gavyn sized up the woman and decided it would be better to use a more blunt solution. He raised his hands, his lightsaber harmlessly deactivated. "Calm down." Gavyn eased, maintaining a cool calmness. Slowly, Gavyn approached her, holding out his lightsaber, hilt-first in an offer of surrender.

When he was close enough, Gavyn made a swift motion, and the next moment the thug was sliding to the floor. "Knocked out." Gavyn told Tyro, reassuring him that blood had not been spilled. "She'll be back up in ten or fifteen minutes. Best we are out of here by then." He finished, as he picked up her blaster and his lightsaber from the floor. He tucked his jedi weapon into his coat, the blaster becoming just another addition to his mercenary appearance.

"Okay," Tyro nodded with a look back to the activist lying on the ground. He drew his own blaster from the top of his boot and cautiously followed Gavyn forward. The hall was too dark to see down. Cautiously he pulled a glow rod from his back pocket, illuminating the narrow passage ahead in a low red. For a moment, Tyro thought he imagined something flick past his vision. He froze, staring straight ahead, but he sensed nothing. He took a few more steps and noticed the glint of a door handle up ahead. That must have been what he had seen earlier. An open door to the left. Had they not heard them? He made eye contact with Gavyn, motioning towards the door. Gavyn nodded. Cautiously. The two crept forward, closer to the door. Tyro could hear talking now.

"We are in too deep now. Too deep." The sound of angry pacing back and forth.

"Yeah, and what are you gonna do about it?" someone else snapped back.

"Look, it's done. Now we move forward, we use this. Don't you see? This is what we wanted. No more excuses. We can act now."

Tyro took another step forward, he could almost see into the room now. Then suddenly he felt the muzzle of a blaster rifle pressed to his back. "Try anything I don't tell you to and I shoot. Now move." Roughly she shoved him forward through the door._ Well_, he couldn't help but think with a sarcastic smile,_ at least that's where I wanted to go_. He gritted his teeth, trying to keep a clear head. He could fairly say sneaking had never been his strong point.


	3. 3 - Undercity - Part 3

There was nowhere in the hallway to hide when he turned to see a thug standing behind Tyro, a gun pressed against his back. Gavyn turned back to the doorway, only to see two more thugs with their blasters drawn and pointed in his direction. This time, there was not going to be a chance to just knock them out and move on.

Inside the room, Gavyn could see an assortment of stolen blasters and detonators. There was nothing too fancy, or military-grade, mostly older models. It was probably circulated from the black market. In the corner of the room, Gavyn saw the senator. He seemed to be pretty worn out, and he was trapped with energy cuffs around his feet and hands. A mismatched, hacked-together battle droid was standing next to him, carrying a blaster. Clearly someone had modded it to be a security precaution.

"To your knees!" the thug spat. Gavyn obliged, and nodded to Tyro to do the same.

Gavyn knitted his brows. Sure, they may be able to take on this group in a fight, before they confiscated their lightsabers. There were about a half dozen of them, including the droid, but he prefered to avoid bloodshed. Better to reason with them, from what he could tell they were not naturally cruel people. "You are making a mistake. We want the same thing as you. We are trying to prevent more war." Gavyn explained.

They did not lower their blasters, but they did not take their lightsabers either. "What do you mean?" Good he had their attention. Tyro may be able to subtlety work on their escape.

"I know he is trying to push a motion for a pre-emptive strike." Gavyn explained. "With him missing now, or worse, if it was found out the Senetor was hurt, it justifies his concerns. His pre-emptive strike then becomes retaliation. The best course of action is let him return to the senate, and let this proposed action be dismissed in the vote."

Tyro was only half paying attention to the Jedi Master's words as he spoke to their captors. Motionlessly he scanned the room, absorbing every detail and committing them to memory. It had been a basic exercise in the temple, and there was no telling what might come in useful here. The senator stared at them listlessly from the corner of the room, eyes dull. Clearly he didn't have much hope now for his salvation. That droid next to him was a total hack job, shoddy work, but Tyro knew better than to underestimate it. The thing still had a blaster. Various guns, explosives were piled about. A set of computers set up in the corner, clearly custom built, code flashing past as a program compiled. A slightly chipped tile in the ceiling - a back door out? His mind started running through potential plans. Somehow he had to use what he had to get them, and the senator out, alive and unharmed. He couldn't say why but he got the feeling this was what Gavyn wanted him to do. Clearly it was best to leave the talking about politics to the guy, he seemed to have a much better handle on this diplomacy thing than Tyro could ever hope to.

Tyro furrowed his brows, thinking. He might be able to use something here to pick those stun cuffs on the senator, hopefully he was tired enough to not freak out or anything. Then he could use those cuffs to shortcircuit the droid. From there...they would figure something out, but this was a good start.

Tyro's eyes landed on a stray bit of wire sitting near the droid. The thing had been pretty recently assembled it seemed. Concentrating he honed the force, pinching it gingerly around the piece of wire, lifting it from the ground and up to the cuffs. Ideally with the insulation around it he could break the cuffs circuit. Tyro tried not to make a face as he focused his mind around the task of carefully maneuvering the piece into lock of the ankle cuffs. Sometimes small tasks like these were more difficult than moving the large stuff. There was a lot of contraction that went into finer control and manipulation. Vaguely Tyro felt eyes on him. One of the activists stepped forward, crouching down to stare him in the eyes, blocking off his view from the senator, and his task. Clearly he hadn't kept as straight a face as he thought. It didn't matter any more though, one quick flick of the force and he felt a click echo through the force back to him as the cuffs around the senators wrists deactivated.

"You got a problem kid?" The man demanded, nostrils flaring. He was a big burly guy, black hair a mess of greasy dreadlocks. Tyro remembered to catch the cuffs with the force before they clattered to the floor. Now for the senator's hands. He started the process again. "Hey, answer me!"

"Yeah, yer spittin' in my face," Tyro replied calmly, shifting his focus to stare sternly into the eyes of the man in front of him. Even as he did so he felt the the handcuffs fall free. The man hefted himself with a growl, raising a hand to strike Tryo, but Tyro didn't care. It meant he had moved enough for Tyro to see the senator again, and he wasn't doing too good. Having realized his sudden freedom he looked around the room like a panicked animal. Then suddenly everything happened at once.

The burly hand came down with what looked like enough force to knock Tyro across the room.

Then, with a terrified howl, the senator sprang forward. The brute in front of Tyro spun around before he could finish his strike. Then the droid sparked to life with a lurching motion. It ratcheted left towards the senator, in a poor excuse for aiming. Quickly, Tyro reached for the force, grabbing a pair of the stun cuffs and tossing them around the neck of the droid. As the circuit completed with the lock as they tangled in the droid's exposed wiring. There was a zap and a puff of smoke and the droid fell forward. It clattered to the ground and the blaster misfired, barely missing one of the activists before the bolt buried itself in the computer across the room. The screen went black as dark smoke rose from the machine.

The activists looked around wildly, starting to yell. The senator pressed himself against the wall and screamed. Tyro could not concentrate on anything like this! He took a deep breath, drawing in the force and letting it build in his chest, glaring intently, though not angrily, at the crazed group in front of him. Then he released it in one focused demand.

"Everybody shut up!"

Gavyn grimaced at Tyro's command. He felt the force ripple through the room, but his delivery could use subtlety. It got the job done, however, so Gavyn couldn't complain too much. The thugs had stopped yelling and the Senator stopped screaming, but the tension was far from gone in the room.

"We have no cause for fighting." Gavyn boomed out as he stood up. "To avoid bombings on your planet, the Senator must be returned to safety. This only ends in your arrest or your cooperation." He warned. The resolve of the activists was waning. A few of them started to lower their weapons, looking to each other for leadership.

It was at that moment, that the thug Gavyn knocked out in the hallway staggered into the room. She took one look at the two Jedi. "Hey, kath hounds!" She cussed at the jedi. "My head is killing me!"

The leader of the group stepped between her and the jedi. "Let it go, Yala." She advised, under Gavyn's watchful stare. The thug seemed to be taken aback, confused at the sudden change in power in the room.

Tyro looked around the room and tentatively began to stand. Nobody seemed to protest. Clearly Gavyn had made his point.

"Go ahead. Take your senator." The head of the group said at last, defeated. "We never wanted this trouble anyway."

Gavyn held out an arm for the Senator to hold onto. The man was practically shaking, but Gavyn was like stone in his calm composure.

They turned to leave, Tyro lingering behind "Look," he turned back to the group remorsefully "I get it. I don't agree with the guy either. I get that you're trying to do good. That you're not bad people. But theres gotta be a better way than this, don't you think?" Nobody seemed to argue, they just watched him, actually listening. "What if somebody had been hurt today, or killed? If you had held Senator Blith any longer, someone would have been. And that's what you're trying to stop, right? If we don't play by the rules, then how can we securely hold someone who doesn't accountable. If we good we strive for is achieved by evil means, then was it really good in the first place. Look, I know I'm getting kinda lofty here, but what I'm trying to say is that you guys exist to make a point. And the way you were doing that-you weren't any better than that senator you so vehemently oppose. You were the ones making the preemptive strike."

"If you were really up to the challenge, really truly invested in this, I'll bet you could find a better way to make your point. It'd be a helluva lot stronger point too. You of all people should know, hypocrites suck. I'm Probably not supposed to say this, but good luck."

The room was silent, thinking, Tyro could tell. The pause gave him a moment to think as well as what he had said set in. With an apologetic half bow, out of sheer habit, he backed from the room. No one made a move to follow or stop him. He turned to follow Gavyn, only to see the Jedi Master still staring at him. Horror dawned upon him as he realized he had probably just heard that. What had he been thinking?! Totally out of line for a Padawan. He swallowed his embarrassment and led the way out.

A lump gathered in Gavyn's throat when Tyro turned back to the activists. What the hell was he doing? They had already closed the deal. They managed to free the Senator with no bloodshed, and they were being allowed to simply walk away. When you get off that easy, you walk away before the situation can get worse.

Fortunately, his little speech did not inspire them to take three hostages instead of one. Gavyn hurried down the corridor to the exit with a deep frown. When they were out of earshot of the hideout, he reprimanded Tyro in a hushed voice. "Don't oversell it next time. You are lucky they didn't change their minds, lingering around like that." His words were sharp. Aware that the Senator was still with them, he didn't want to embarrass Tyro too much. However, there was another point that Gavyn had to make sure the Senator heard him correct his headstrong Padawan on.

"Also, you must remember your allegiance is to the Jedi Order and the Republic. It was completely out of line to blatantly disagree with a Senator. And to a militant faction, that would clearly be encouraged with such words. A Jedi must be impartial, and not underline partisan politics." Gavyn was frustrated they had no privacy from the Senator yet. There was so much he wanted to explain to Tyro about the subtlety of mediation. Just as Tyro had publicly announced his favoritism to militant activists, it would be equally foolish to admit any favoritism in front of the Senator. Because it was true, Gavyn did not agree with his pre-emptive strategy, but he would stand behind it if it passed.

Tyro paused and turned to face Gavyn, knowing he at least owed him the eye contact. "I apologize for my actions and any offense they might have caused. I was out of place. I will be sure to follow up with you on this matter at a later time. For now I will attempt to assure us transport. Master Jervada, Senator Blith," he acknowledged bowing deeply to each in turn.

Gavyn was right in what he had said. It was inappropriate for a Padawan to speak out like that. Talking was left to the master, and clearly, as he had just proven, for a reason. Yes, Gavyn was right. Yet he still could not shake the feeling that what he had said was not wrong either. Just taking the senator away like that, they had solved only a piece of a larger problem. By talking to them, Tyro had ensured a larger change and likely set in motion what could very well be a solution to this larger problem. If he had left those activists alone who was to say they wouldn't just do the same thing again? How could they pretend they were doing good if they only did the bare minimum, ignoring other chances as they arose. All this, and still he knew Gavyn was right. Tyro turned and jumped from the building, letting the force catch him as he landed on the street below.

* * *

Jeak was still where they had last left him, sitting with his broken speeder. He looked up as he heard Tyro land. "Hey! Looks like you're still alive soooo…you'll be fixing this hunk of scrap metal now, then?"

Tyro smiled kindly. "I'll see what I can do," but even as he knelt down to get a closer look he could tell the speeder was beyond repair. Still, he tried, tinkering, seeing if there was anything he could salvage or substitute until he was absolutely covered in grease and machine oil. There had to be a solution here somewhere right? Nothing was working out. Not this ship, not Gavyn, not being a Jedi. He had left for a reason, it had been better that way. Today had once again made it pretty clear there were just some parts of being a Jedi he could not comply with. That was his fault, not theirs, and knowing that was why he had seen to removing himself from the situation in the first place. Yes, that was for the best.

"Hey Tyro." He felt a hand on his shoulder as Jeak kneeled down next to him. Tyro focused again on the task of attempting to salvage the speeder. "It's okay. If you can't fix it, don't worry about it, I know you did what you could."

Tyro nodded. "Even if I were to find the parts, it would cost more to repair this than to get a new one. I'm really sorry Jeak. I'd say I'd buy you a new one or something but, you know I don't get that kind of money. I'd offer it to you in favors, but honestly I don't even know if I'll even be on this planet much longer. I wish I could do something, but don't know what to say."

"Well if nothing else, you do owe me whatever story you were hinting at earlier. So you could say that I suppose."

Tyro filled him in as best he could, about what had happened with his former master, how he had taken matters into his own hands, left his life as a Padawan, only to be brought back to it once more. "It's not going to work out though, and I accept that. This isn't me being all low-self-esteem and down on myself or anything, so don't feel like you have to dig me out of some self-pity rutt. It's just that this is clearly not the place or way for me to help people. It'd be best for everyone if I just went back to the AgriCorps."

"But being a Jedi Knight means everything to you," Jeak protested sympathetically.

"Yeah, yeah I know," Tyro sighed, starting to fiddle with the Speeder once more.

* * *

After Tyro jumped down to the street below, he turned to the Senator. He seemed to be doing a lot better now. He was still pale and weary, but his eyes were sharp and the fear was subsiding from him with each passing moment. "Are you alright?" Gavyn asked, just making sure.

The Senator nodded. "Yes. They didn't hurt me."

Gavyn heaved a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about-" The Senator interrupted him, a knowing smile on his face.

"It is fine." He insisted, raising his hand. "I can understand your apprentice's sentiment. I was young once as well. I only carry my deepest gratitude for finding me when you did."

"Thank you, Senator." Gavyn said with relief. He felt a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Gavyn disliked politics, but if the Senator had been upset, he might have needed to stay on Coruscant until he smoothed things over.

Gavyn was the first down the ladder, staying close to the Senator, in case his footing slipped. The way down to the street was slow, and by the time he reached the speeder, Tyro was already half-buried in it, in an attempt to fix it. "How is it looking," he asked Jaek. A sullen shake of the head was all Gavyn needed. "I'll call us a transport from the Temple."

Without even seeing Tyro's face, Gavyn could sense unrest. Perhaps he had been too hard on the boy… after all, the Senator held no resentments. Gavyn was so accustomed to the directness demanded of him from the Clone soldiers, he forgot that it could seem unkind. It had only been a few weeks since he first met Tyro at all, and it was going to take time to understand the best way to mentor him. The sinking feeling in his stomach told Gavyn that he had better talk to his new apprentice in private to learn where he had also misstepped as well.

It was only a matter of minutes before their ride back to the temple showed up. Tyro watched as Gavyn helped the Senator on board. For a moment he started to follow, until a thought crossed his mind. "With your permission Master Jervada, I would like to stay here for a while longer and see if there is anything I can do to help figure out this situation with the speeder." It just felt wrong to leave Jeak like this. He knew he should probably go with the Senator and see the end to the rest of the mission, but if things went the way they seemed to be going, he didn't know when he would see Jeak again. Besides, Gavyn clearly had the rest of this under control. It was all talking, politics, and paperwork now. His involvement was no longer necessary.

Gavyn nodded. "Good thinking, Tyro." He knew that Tyro knew his way around. Plus, Gavyn figured his Padawan probably wanted to spend some time catching up with his friend before shipping off.

"Senator Blith, it was an honor. I wish you a safe and smooth return," Tyro acknowledged with a deep bow.

The transport took off leaving just him and Jeak alone on the dimly lit street.


	4. 4 - A Visit to the Temple - Part 1

A Visit to the Temple  


It was already a bright and sunny afternoon by the time Tyro pushed himself out of bed. It took him a moment to remember where he was. For one whole moment it felt as though he was in another time, months ago, in his old room, with his old master. It was the smell though that brought him crashing back to the present. It didn't smell like the calm and floral scent of exotic tea leaves. There was none of the dust and decaying bindings of ancient texts. It smelled earthy, yet clean. Different. It didn't smell like home. In that moment of half-awake delirium he missed his old master, his old life.

He stood up quickly, forcing himself to snap out of it before the misplaced nostalgia set in. That kind of sentiment was wrong, unhealthy even in this case. He focused instead on getting dressed, tying his bright green hair back in a high ponytail.

Gavyn seemed to have already left for the day, Tyro noted as he made his way into the common room. Tyro had gotten back late last night, long after the Jedi Master was asleep, so they hadn't had a chance to talk yet. Tyro wasn't quite sure what that conversation would be like, it would happen when it happened, he wasn't too concerned; he could handle whatever criticism was coming his way. A night's worth of sleep had done him good as well. Perhaps he didn't need to go back to AgriCorps. Perhaps he could try and some kind of even footing with Gavyn. He had been out of his element in the Undercity yesterday, and, Tyro admitted, he had been too much so in his. It would be a bit much by any proper Jedi standards.

Vaguely he remembered that he should check what day, and time it was. Perhaps he should go to some class? Gavyn hadn't seemed to have left any hint there was anything else to do today, so it would be best to stick with what he knew to do here. Shoving a fruit from the table in his mouth he went back to the room he had slept in to grab his datapad.

* * *

It was a strange feeling to be walking around the temple now. It was something he had never really expected to be doing again. Sure, he had been here with Gavyn the other day when he had officially been made his Padawan, but he hadn't had a chance to do anything else or see anyone. He hoped that finding a class to attend would bring him at least some sense of normalcy again. Force knew, he could use that right now. Just...anything to anchor him back into what was again supposed to be his life. As he sat down though in the back of the map room though something felt off. He couldn't place what though, not until the instructor paused to ask a question.

Tyro looked around, no one else seemed to have an answer. He raised his hand. The instructor scanned the room over one more time. "No one knows then?" he asked, before continuing the lecture.

It was dark, Tyro reminded himself, and he was sitting near the back. Perhaps it was that he hadn't been here in so long. Or it was that, he was usually the smartest student in the class and sometimes the instructors tried to give everyone else a chance to answer first, it had happened to him before.

This was different though. As the lecture ended, the class pushed their way from the room. Tyro stood up, gathering his things, and joined them. He smiled, trying to catch Tridy, or Zeil, or Byl's eyes, to start a conversation. It would be nice to talk to them again, but they brushed past him like he wasn't even there. They just hadn't seen him was all. Tyro jogged a bit to catch up to them. "Hey! Guys!" he called down the hall. He thought he saw Zeil start to turn back for a moment, but Byl grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, pulling the group around the nearest corner.

He slowed, looking around to see if he could catch anyone else's gaze, experimenting now. Their eyes just rolled over him as though he were just another piece of the temple architecture. Some were less subtle than others. He noticed a bit of shock, some disdain, as a few people lingered on him for just a moment before they serenely looked away.

Frowning, he turned and walked the other way. He was just about to turn a corner when he heard voices, a group of his classmates talking. He stopped short.

"What's Tyro doing back here? I thought they expelled him off to some distant planet or something. Away from here."

"I mean it's our safety right?! It's like the council doesn't even care."

"I'll bet they're still brainwashed. You know he's doing it."

"They have to be if they let sithspawn like that back here."

Val!" someone else hissed with a giggle. "You wouldn't want your master to hear you talking like that now would you?" the girl teased.

"It's true though," Val said haughtily.

"Well my master is going to tell the council that he refuses to take any missions with him. He says he can't be trusted. He says that that's how the dark side works. It seeps into your mind before you can even notice it. Takes hold. Once it's got you you can never really be clean of it," a boy chimed in.

"It's only a matter of time until he picks up where his master left off. We'd all watch out or he'll be messing with our heads."

_It's not true,_ Tyro reminded himself._ They don't know what happened. They don't know me. _He forced himself to turn and walk away. He had discovered the knowledge he needed to know from this conversation. It was no longer productive to listen to.

As he walked down the now empty hall though the words sank in even deeper_. __I'm better than this. I don't need other people to tell me who I am. They'll get to know me again, they'll see it's not like that._ No matter what he told himself though he just couldn't believe it. That surprised him too. It wasn't like him to feel bad about this sort of thing. People had always teased, not just him, but everyone. That was how things worked. He knew they were still just people though, still good, just insecure, or trying to be funny. If this had never bothered him before, why did it bother him now?

Tyro tried to focus on walking. Tried to make himself hyper aware of his surroundings, to get his mind on anything else. It was in vain though he realized when he found himself in the gardens. He sat down then, finally giving in, letting his thoughts take over. He couldn't fight it anymore. Maybe because it was true. Maybe he really shouldn't be back. Maybe he was a danger. If yesterday was any indication he wasn't too far off. Gavyn seemed none too pleased with him at the moment, and again, rightfully so. Even his own friends didn't want to have anything to do with him. If Gavyn, the one person who had seemed to trust him, to want to hear him out, to give him another chance on this didn't think he was alright, then clearly he wasn't. He wasn't supposed to be here, and everyone knew it.


	5. 5 - A Visit to the Temple - Part 2

Initially Gavyn had wanted to stay awake and talk to Tyro when he got back. However, as the hours passed, it became clear that his apprentice was going to be gone late into the night, and the soft temple beds became all too tempting. Gavyn arose shortly after dawn, and was pleased to see Tyro fast asleep across the room. He stole out of the chamber and did his morning stretches in the common room.

The temple had a subtle gloom to it since war broke out. There were far fewer senior students running about, testing their skills against each other. Most of them had been recruited for war, and the rest were either too eager or too afraid to join the ranks. Regardless, Gavyn still found peace from the echoing battlefields inside these walls. He wandered the corridors, until he reached the kitchens, where he spotted an old friend.

"Good morning, Leoni." He greeted with an easy smile. "How have you been?"

"Hello Gavyn, I've been well" She greeted in return. "I'm making tea, would you like any?" She asked, although she was already filling a second cup. "It is surprising to see you at the Temple. How do the front lines fair?" She asked, knowing Gavyn's position as a Senior General.

"Well enough. I trust the Clone Commanders to hold things down in my absence." He answered, thinking of Ace. His legion should not run into too much trouble en route to their next assignment, but Ace knew what he was doing. "I'm only here for another day or two, until the Senate votes on the pre-emptive strike. It could change my assignment, and I suppose the primary proponent of the motion feels safer with me and my Padawan on Coruscant until it blows over."

Leoni nodded. "Ah, yes. I have heard about your new Padawan." Usually a taking a Padawan was exciting news, but she sounded grim. Gavyn knew better than to dig up gossip, but the tone unsettled him. He knew that there was scandal surrounding Tyro, but he also knew that Tyro's heart was true, despite the dark deeds of his Master. Gavyn had as much to learn from the boy as Tyro did from him.

Gavyn thanked her for the tea and departed, in the direction of the gardens. This was not the first time that Gavyn's wisdom had been under scrutiny. It was only a comfort that the High Council themselves seemed to support his choice to train Tyro, opposed to the fallout of Esseles. It was no wonder that there was suspicion around this pairing. Many Jedi saw Gavyn's actions on Esseles the beginning of a fall to the Dark Side, and he had gotten sideways glances ever since. Ruthlessness was not a trait esteemed among Jedi. To have him, of all people, train a Padawan of a Dark Jedi could easily be mistaken for a dangerous pair rather than a mutual learning experience.

Heavy of heart, Gavyn drifted through the trees of the gardens, listening the light twinkle of running water. Finally he spotted Tyro sitting on the grass, his hair bleeding into the color of the leaves. "Glad to see you made it back to the Temple last night." Gavyn mentioned, his arms crossed, and tucked into his sleeves in a jedi fashion. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Sure," Tyro offered simply, eyes fixed on the grass before suddenly remembering himself. "I mean yes, if that is what you wish Master Jervada," he corrected, sitting up straight. The ruse only held for so long before he subconsciously slipped back into a slouch, gaze shifting to a the air above a patch of grass a few meters away as his mind drifted back to his thoughts from before.

Gayvn waited a few moments, enjoying just sitting quietly in the grass. Overhead, sunlight filtered through trees and skylights, the manmade skyline of the city just out of view. Tyro seemed to still be pretty down, and Gavyn figured he must have hurt his feelings more than he had thought the night before. "Sorry for being so hard on you, last night." He apologized. "I thought we made a pretty good team." Without Tyro, Gavyn would have struggled with the hidden door, been caught on a security camera, and would have had to deal with the battle droid. All things considered, the mission went very well, and there was very limited fighting.

It was surprising to see Tyro so gloomy today, particularly after he had a chance to meet up with his childhood friends that were still studying at the Temple.

"Master Jervada, with all due respect, there is no need to apologize. I acted inappropriately in front of both you and Senator Blith. You don't need to go easy on me. I can take the criticism," Tyro replied, only realizing after he heard the words from his mouth that he might have been too curt. It was true though, critique had never bothered him. He had found over the years that if someone had enough courage to tell him he was doing something wrong, there was probably some truth to it somewhere, even if he didn't totally agree at first.

He wasn't too sure what to do with the other comment though. Yes, both his and Gavyn's skills were useful, but working well together? The two had seemed to trip all over each other's efforts the entire evening. "You don't need to hide what you think about me either." Honestly anyone would think he was a bit dark after seeing him running around the undercity like that. Of course he knew better, he was in full control of what he did there and knew it to be at most reckless, but nothing worse. Yet it was where he felt most at home. Another reason he was not cut out for this Jedi Knight thing. "Nobody else does," he mumbled to the ground, poking at the grass.

Tyro's Jedi training was showing, with his mature response. However, the words he said to follow it up cut Gavyn. He had been nothing but honest with Tyro, yet somehow his Padawan thought that he had no respect for him. What were other people telling him?

Gavyn's thoughts drifted back to his encounter with Leoni. Her coldness had been apparent, and she was a mature jedi. Kids could be a lot meaner, regardless of their training. Gavyn was fortunate to deal with these feelings so much later in life than Tyro, when he was already certain of who he was and where he was going.

"There is a difference between criticism and gossip, Tyro. You absorb criticism, but you must reflect gossip." Gavyn advised compassionately as he watched Tyro idly play with the grass. Gavyn knew all about that. The things said about him were not easy to roll off his back. Cruel words were sticky.

"Jedi aren't supposed to gossip," Tyro told the grass. "If they're saying it, they have a reason." He noted that Gavyn had choose to give some vague piece of wisdom rather than addressing what he actually thought. "I don't need other people to tell me who or what I am. I know that," he said defensively, subconsciously replying to himself. "So it shouldn't bother me." _But it does__. _Tyro pulled at a particularly long strand of grass. It snapped. Instantly he came back to his senses, the poor grass did not deserve that. Awkwardly he placed it back onto the ground.

He was behaving like a child. He barely knew Master Jervada and here he was sulking and making him chase after him. Quickly he straightened himself out again, brushing out his tunic to smooth it. He turned back to face the Jedi Master with a bow. "I am sorry for selfishly distracting from the conversation you were intending to have with me. I know you wished to discuss the events of yesterday and…" _and what? Correct my behavior? So I can be mindful of missteps in the future? Help me to improve__?_ There wasn't going to be a future here for him. He was going to have to bring up his realization to Gavyn sooner or later, but he had best let Gavyn have his say first. "...and inform me of my mistakes."

"I think you've already heard what you need about last night." Gavyn replied sympathetically. He was starting to understand where Tyro's feelings were coming from. The frustration of being slapped with labels from colleagues and classmates with only half of the information. They were both fortunate they were Jedi, it was far less common across the Galaxy to get any kind of benefit of the doubt.

Gavyn knew that Tyro needed to focus less on what he should be feeling and more on what he was feeling. That took Gavyn a long time to master, so he was sympathetic. He had to let Tyro sort through the truth he knew and the noise he heard from others. "Who are you then, Tyro?" Gavyn asked, wearing an expectant face. Tyro seemed pretty confident, so this would not be a problem to answer.

"Well I-" he started confidently. Nothing came after that. Suddenly it dawned on him why he didn't have an answer. No one had ever asked him before, so he had never verbalized it. They just assumed. He hadn't even built his own lightsaber yet, the one bit of individuality the jedi particularly allowed.

"I'm a human," he finally offered sardonically. _Don't be sassy._ "Uh no, I'm sorry...let me…" He mulled it over a bit longer. "I'm good...at stuff…" _No, commit to this__, _"classes, and things, and…" _seriously?_ "I get good grades?" _So what? So pick me, I'm useful? _He realized he was staring off somewhere in the distance and not at Gavyn like he should be, but he couldn't bring himself to look back at the master. _I can't answer simple questions, _he droned on to himself.

Gavyn looked from Tyro, stumbling through his response to the ground. He knew the boy was trying, but he couldn't help feeling disappointed. He knew that there was more Tyro was either not telling him, or what he wasn't seeing inside himself. "You're the one that gets good grades." Gavyn repeated back to him, to illustrate how ridiculous it sounded.

"I usually have more self confidence than this," he apologized. Then it clicked. He actually couldn't remember the last time he had felt like himself. It had been sometime over a year ago."The year before last I was one of the top of my class, at least in the more academic stuff," he started. "I used to be one of our best slicers too."

He had known who he was once. But he had forcibly changed that over the last half year into who he needed to be, into Tyro the farmer. Into the exact opposite of everything he had ever believed or known. It had been the only way to cope. He realized now he didn't know who he was any more. His current self was simply a result of reflexive grabbing of the pieces of who he once was, and who he knew he should be. Sure, he still had his bright green mohawk, his piercings, but they were no longer backed up by anything he felt inside. Just meaningless decorations left over from who he used to be.

Only...only that wasn't entirely true. Yesterday he had felt like himself. He had felt like the Tyro who... "I know Coruscant like the back of my hand. I love exploring stuff, doing things I haven't done before, testing limits. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've pulled off. I know people too. There's some good that comes from most everyone, but I'm not stupid either, I know who I can trust. Most of my friends aren't Jedi actually. I...have friends. I have a sense of humor. I have opinions. Some of the stuff we've been doing for this war...is screwed up-no offense. But there's a lot more that's screwed up than that. I can't stand by idly in the face of injustice. I'm usually the first person to speak up or do something about it. I don't like being helpless. That's why I'm a Jedi. It's so I can do the most good for the most people. I'm not some farmer. Sure, plants and having stuff to eat and all that is important, and those guys are cool and all, don't get me wrong, but that's not where I'm most useful. I'm talented, I know that. With computers and mechanics and the force. I try to be cool about it though, everyone's got their own thing. Except I can't make a plant grow for beans...uh...pun probably intended."

"People think they know me just by looking at me, they assume, but they don't know, and honestly that's up to them, because I know I'm a good person, doing the best that I can. I'm a Jedi, just as much as the thousands before me. And one day I'm gonna be a knight, then a master. I know I'll screw up every once in awhile. I know it's going to be difficult. But since when has that bothered me?" he let out a short laugh. "Most of all I know I'm gonna take what I have and make a difference, for the better."

He looked Gavyn strongly in the eyes, not for approval. It was a statement. This is who I am. Take it or leave it.

Gavyn saw the honesty behind Tyro's eyes, and returned it with an expression of warmth. "You are my Padawan." He added, with a touch of finality. "Regardless of what anyone thinks."

Gavyn felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of destiny. Both of them carried dark reputations, but no hatred in their hearts. They appeared fearsome, between Gavyn's militant countenance and Tyro's street-savvy roguishness, but they both brought out the best in others. The two of them belonged together. Gavyn had never felt so confident in his choice to pursue Tyro as his apprentice. The force truly drew them together.

The tranquility of the garden was suddenly disturbed by the approach of a winded jedi, that Gavyn recognized as the Padawan of a fellow Senior General. "Master Jervada." He gasped. "The Senate voted. The motion was passed. They're going to strike."


	6. 6 - Prelude to War

Tyro frowned, but was on his feet immediately. That was fast. A lot faster than he could have expected, what with the senator having been returned to safety only yesterday He didn't realize the voting was supposed to happen today. Tyro had to admit he was disappointed. He had hoped the senator's...experience would have made him a bit more sympathetic. Being kidnapped before he had a chance to fully give his say and do things diplomatically, well, that was a preemptive strike in it's own way; but perhaps he was not that wise. Or perhaps the action had scared the rest of the senate into voting on the side he had taken in his initial speech.

"The council requests your presence immediately," continued the Padawan firmly. Tyro barely recognized him, he was quite a few years older than he was, which meant he was probably out at battle more often than not. He realized vaguely that was about to become his life.

The council though…he had seen them the other day, when he had gotten his new braid, but he hadn't had to talk to them. He hadn't had to talk to them since...well this should be interesting. At any rate, this whole war thing was Gavyn's department. He looked over to his master, ready to follow his lead.

Gavyn nodded curtly and hurried to the Council chamber. It was bad news that the Senate want to drop troops on Talfaglio. It was sparsely populated, but the Senate was concerned with the population harboring Separatist vehicles and equipment. The attacks on Loronar were increasing, and many of the starfighters being manufactured for the republic never made it to their destinations. Gavyn's units were currently assigned to the area, to defend the planet. If the Council wanted to see him specifically, then they probably wanted his troops to make the strike.

Gavyn took a deep breath and entered the High Council chamber. Almost half of the seats were filled with blue, flickering holograms of Jedi currently dispatched in war. Mace Windu spoke first, leaning forward. "As you may have heard, the vote from the Senate is in. We are to move clone troops to Talfaglio to stop the accumulation of Separatist forces." There were not many people that could make Gavyn feel small, but Master Windu was one of those people. "With your legion of troops already at Loronar, you are the best candidate to make the strike."

"Yes, Master Windu," Gavyn nodded. "I would like to note it is going to take us at least a week to secure the system and move the unit." It was a lot of time, but it was still sooner than any of the other forces scattered around the galaxy would be able to reach it in.

"The Separatists will have heard about the motion. If they have forces there, they're going to hide them behind the civilian population by the time your troops can get there." Obi-Wan noted grimly, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Gavyn could feel the eyes on him, despite the fact none looked in his direction. He had gotten civilians caught in a battle before with devastating consequences. The masters were weighing the dangers of putting him into a potentially similar situation again. It was frustrating and humiliating. Gavyn had dozens of battles under his belt since then, all of which were executed admirably. The distrust stung him. Breathing slowly, Gavyn let the feelings pass through him, and waited for the Council to talk through the issue.

The walk over had given Tyro the time he had needed to mentally prepare himself for this. It was a situation he didn't agree with, in the face of people who didn't find him agreeable. The talk with Gavyn had helped, more than he could have ever imagined. He had to give it to the guy, he knew a lot more than Tyro had ever previously expected. Just not in the ways he was used to. The council could judge all they wanted, and in their defense, they, more than anyone probably had reason to, but they were still the ones that had declared him innocent of his former master's crimes, and they had accepted him back into the order since. Whether or not all would agree with it, this was still a vote of confidence for Tyro.

He took strong stance next to, but slightly behind Gavyn. This was the first time he had truly had to face the direct prospect of battle, and though he had attended plenty of classes on the subject, he knew it would be entirely different in reality. Best let Gavyn do the talking.

He could feel the scrutiny from the council as Masters Windu and Kenobi spoke, but it rolled off him. Just another piece of the environment to observe. And so, with little else to do, and almost no context for the conversation at hand he did just that. He completely let go of the last tendrils of his own feelings and became a sponge, taking in the world around him. What he found surprised him.

Yes, the air was full of distrust and dislike from some of the council, no matter how they tried to hide it behind composed expressions, but that dislike was not centered around him, as he would have previously assumed. It was Gavyn. That surprised him actually. The council held those feelings towards Gavyn as well? But he was a Jedi Master, one of their Senior Generals. Yeah, being fourteen he expected it from others, life was full of nothing but judgemental people, but he had always thought that went away as you got older, that adults, especially the council, were better than judgement and grudges. That meant that Gavyn, when he had spoken earlier today, did really know what it was like. He hadn't been trying to skirt a real answer with obscure wisdom. What he had said hadn't been just some cliche old bantha fodder...Gavyn actually knew what it felt like.

Then suddenly he felt it. Frustration, humiliation, pain, regret, guilt. Stronger than he had expected. There was a depth and complexity to these emotions, far more than he had ever experienced. Then he realized, these feelings were not his own, they were his Master's. The man who seemed so intimidating, so strong, so optimistic wasn't just some unfeeling old Jedi. Outwardly there was almost no physical sign he was doing anything more than patiently listening to the council. All of this was through the force then, through the bond that they shared. He had never really recognized their connection before now. He had only noticed it in flickers and half acknowledged pieces. Nothing like this. It wasn't like he could read his thoughts or anything, or like he was in his mind and able to mess with it or anything; it was like awareness, understanding. He remembered when he had something like this with his former master but it felt totally different. Even after a year it had never been this strong. Then, only moments after those emotions had appeared, they were gone, easing slowly back to join with the rest of the force.

So that was what it was like to be a mature jedi. To feel things and make peace with them. Tyro knew the rumors about Gavyn. He had even believed them. In the last few days though he had begun to suspect, but it was clear now, Gavyn was not the heartless General he was made out to be. Even he had feelings, felt regret. It didn't seem fair, to have to deal with that on your own. Already Gavyn had been there for him, but who was there for Gavyn? Tyro wanted to reach out to Gavyn and tell him that it was okay, he had his back, but to say that now would only anger the council and embarrass everyone. Instead he focused on making sure he was keeping a straight face, maintaining his composure, to give no outward sign of this revelation. He still felt it though, and felt it strongly. Sure he didn't know Gavyn well yet but his master deserved all his confidence and support right now. _You've got this, and I've got your back._

Gavyn watched patiently as the council discussed the problem of Talfaglio. "We could split the troops, send some to Talfaglio and leave some on Loronar." The hologram of Kit Fisto suggested.

"And leave both fronts weakened? No." Master Mundi shook his head.

Something about the exchange was bothering Gavyn, however. The idea of dropping troops into a civilian area concerned him. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. The Separatists could have a thousand droids and vehicles stationed there, or they might have nothing at all. This was, after all, a pre-emptive strike, it was just a tactical location that was too close to starfighter production to be welcome to Separatist forces.

Gavyn glanced back at his Padawan. It was clear that Tyro also had reservations about a violent pre-emptive strike. There was unfortunately nothing Gavyn could do about that- the vote had been passed. However, there may be something they could do about putting clone troops and civilians in unnecessary danger. There had to be something that everyone here would be able to agree with- and still comply with the Republic's request. Gavyn furrowed his brows, thinking through the situation. They just didn't have enough information!

Really, that was the problem. Gavyn spoke up, assuming his militant demeanor. "To be honest, there are far too many unknowns in this assignment to send in hundreds to soldiers. It could easily turn into a raid against innocent civilians or a complete slaughter of our clone troops." He said firmly. It was something that everyone on the High Council could agree with. "I request a small team to investigate the situation and report back before any further tactical decisions are made. I will be on duty on Loronar for at least a week, that should be more than enough time for a few jedi to do some military reconnaissance. When, and if, we strike, it will be be with the right forces, in the right place, at the right time."

The Council members glanced to each other, considering this possibility. It was Yoda who finally spoke up. "Wise, it is, to learn about the enemy. Patience, we must have." Gavyn slowly took a breath, not realizing he had been holding it. There were murmurs of agreement.

"We will find this team of jedi, while you are dispatched at Loronar." Mace Windu concluded. "I suggest you get your troops to fortify the base quickly, so they are available when we need them."

"Of course, Master Windu." Gavyn nodded. The council seemed pretty sure that there was going to be a major threat on Talfaglio, but Gavyn was not so convinced. The Separatists were not known to stage armies. Talfaglio, while tactically close to Loronar, it was still very isolated. Gavyn was going to keep his mind open about what the jedi may find there.

Bowing to the Council, Gavyn left the chamber. He and Tyro were going to need to leave immediately, to mobilize the forces on Loronar, and get the system clear before the end of the week. "Gather your things, Tyro. I will arrange for a transport."


	7. 7 - Old Friends, New Beginnings

Tyro had been in this room for less than a week. He hadn't even finished unpacking his things in the first place. His imagination drifted as he tossed the last of the belongings he could possibly think of uses for into his bag. At least there wasn't much to have to choose between, Jedi kept their equipment pretty basic. Packing, knowing he was going into battle though shed a strange light on everything. Usually he didn't go into a mission expecting a fight, rather being prepared in case their was one. He tried to imagine what a full scale battle like this, with armies, clones, and droids, would be like, but there was no context. Yes he'd taken down individual or small sets of droids before, worked with small teams of clones. He had been injured before. He had killed before. But the amalgamation of all these parts did not equal a clear picture of just what exactly what he was about to face.

He had studied all of this, in classes, reports, stories from older students. It was tempting give into imagining the horrors of war, the anxiety, fear; but he understood that the only thing he had learned from it all was that this was going to be nothing like he expected, no matter how much he felt he knew now. So he accepted it. Right now he was as prepared as he could possibly be.

Then he remembered what Gavyn had felt earlier. That stuff lingered, even for Jedi clearly. That was what battle did to a person, he supposed. Gavyn seemed to know what he was doing, well, clearly he did know, but even he still felt these things. _Maybe_, Tyro thought, _I should be feeling something then._

Tyro cinched up his bag and left the room, kicking the door closed behind him. Gavyn was already waiting on the couch in the common room. "Master…" Tyro started hesitantly. Perhaps he shouldn't ask, it was private after all. He had to know though. It was the only thing he had to go off of. "Earlier...with the council, how they treated you..it hurt you." Though it was a statement, he held the question in his eyes. _Are you okay? Will this be okay?_

* * *

It didn't take long for Gavyn to get his things, most of his own equipment was still on board the Republic cruiser with his legion of clones. He made a few calls to get the hangar crew to prep his transport for hyperspace travel. It would be ready to fly in a few hours. It was going to take Tyro a while longer to gather his things and get ready to leave. He took the opportunity to meditate.

Closing his eyes, Gavyn let the feel of the temple wash over him. The force was strong here, but peaceful. Gavyn had not known any other home, even though he only returned every once in awhile. Focusing on one aspect of his senses at a time, he committed each to memory, to carry with him. Even in the heat of battle, he could center himself around the thoughts of the jedi temple.

Lost in meditation, Gavyn's eyes glanced open when he heard Tyro's voice. He had packed quicker than Gavyn had expected. Stretching out his shoulders, Gavyn stood up and straightened out his tabard. Expecting Tyro to say something along the lines of 'I'm ready to go." Gavyn had to pause and think about his statement. Tyro looked upset by the matter, far more than Gavyn felt about it. He had already moved on, and was focused on the mission ahead.

"They question my judgment." Gavyn said simply. _Not without reason._ "But they are on the jedi high council for a reason. I respect their wisdom." _To not entirely trust me. _Gavyn knew that they respected him as a general, but Esseles was going to be a permanent stain, no matter what heroics he did to earn their trust back.

Tyro looked concerned, though, and Gavyn softened. "I've made some mistakes, Tyro, but I've learned from them, and can carry that wisdom with me in the future. The council also learned from those mistakes, and they are just trying to make sure they are not repeated." In short, they always thought twice about sending in Gavyn to areas thick with civilians or local militias. "It does hurt, but that is how those lessons are not forgotten." Gavyn finished heavily. It took him a long time to center himself so he did not dwell on the battle of Esseles, but since then it served as a painful reminder, not a source of grief. It was a lot to explain to a Padawan, and the two of them had really only just began getting to know each other. There was going to be plenty of time to tell Tyro about everything he fully learned from that experience. For now, Gavyn did not want to shoulder the burden of trying to both let go of his pain while still retaining the wisdom he learned from it. It was too much for a jedi master much of the time, it was certainly going to overwhelm a Padawan in the middle of his own emotional changes.

Tyro nodded, taking in Gavyn's words. Understanding the best he could. He recognized there was only so much he could get though. There was clearly much more to him than he had considered. Obviously he would get to know Gavyn better as time passed, but even the small bit he had discovered today made him realize he was holding onto rumors and perceptions. He knew he was doing it, on purpose even, but if today had showed him anything it was that going on letting those things guide him would only lead to hurt and misunderstanding.

"Earlier today, you asked who I was. Seems only fair I ask you the same thing."

Gavyn shot Tyro a sideways smile. He was glad that Tyro was picking up tricks that he used, but it was a difficult question to answer. It was only a matter of time that these tables would have been turned. Gavyn knew his right as a jedi master meant that he did not need to answer the question if he did not want to, but he disliked playing mind games. His own master was reserved, and as a Padawan he found that distance frustrating. He would give Tyro the best answer that he could.

Gavyn heaved a sigh, and sat back down. Where to begin? "It is a long story. I have a few years on me." He was close to forty five. He was no Master Yoda, but there were still parts of his life that could not feel more distant. "I never was a good student." He started, echoing Tyro's statement. "Memorizing, fact-finding, technology and tests were never my strength. I always got along well with people, but I had no interest in politics. I think my master wanted me to be a infallible swordsman, but I think all her lightsaber training served to just make me very resilient." He joked. Gavyn took a lot away from her lessons, but it never seemed to be what she expected. He developed a good head for war tactics, excellent defensive form, and incredible stamina.

"I believe in the Jedi Order, and I believe in the Republic, and I'll fight for them until my last breath. I don't like war, but I know I'm good at it. That's why I am one of the first to volunteer when there is a necessity." _And why I have a reputation of being a warmonger._ "The people I fight beside, however, I care a great deal about." Many of the best friends that Gavyn had made were from the battlefield. He had been leading the same legion of clones since Geonosis, almost without interruption. He often felt fortunate to have a group of trusted brothers fighting by his side, particularly since his previous Padawan had left the order.

Gavyn's countenance darkened. "I am still learning- I don't have all the answers." He said thoughtfully. "I am glad that you agreed to be my Padawan, Tyro." He missed having a jedi companion, to share the spiritual culture they all grew up with. He missed having someone to connect through the Force with. He missed being able to share his wisdom with someone, and not need to go back and explain a dozen different jedi sayings. Not to mention, Gavyn felt like he could learn a lot from Tyro. He finally felt at ease with himself to allow himself to start growing again, rather than withdraw and defend the identity he already had.

Gavyn knew that there was inner conflict that he was omitting, but he also knew that it would serve no purpose to appear to Tyro as confused and emotionally fragile as he felt. As much as it represented who he was, the fearless, powerful, inspirational general represented who he was as well. His own persona became his model to live by. Gavyn looked at Tyro with an expression of finality. He too, was offering Tyro a statement of facts, that he could either trust or not trust.

Tyro smiled back. "Thanks, for being my master...and thanks for giving me a second chance." It was almost awkward being this sincere, that was probably why he hadn't said it yet. "I didn't even realize I needed one."

Gavyn nodded, giving Tyro an affectionate smile.

"Well," Gavyn said, standing back up. "If you have all your things, our transport should be ready by now."

* * *

Tyro readjusted his bag on his shoulder and followed Gavyn out of the room. It had grown late, there were fewer people in the halls now. The sun was setting over Coruscant, it's warm orange light streaming through the windows. Even though the day hadn't gone at all as he had expected, and despite the less than warm welcome back he had received, Tyro realized with a tinge of nostalgia that he was going to miss this place. There was no knowing how long it would be before he was back here again.

"Tyro!" A voice suddenly split the silence of the hallway before he could get too lost in his thoughts.

Tyro spun around to face an Ithorian boy, long brown fingers extended in an excited wave as he ran to catch up with to him.

"Donol?" The recognition slipped out as a question. There was nothing but honest friendship and appreciation in Donol's voice however. Donol was one of the kindest people he had ever known and had been one of his best friends for so long Tyro was ashamed that he had let his own insecurities even question that fact.

"I am truly glad to have found you." Donol's two mouths slipped into wide grins. "I heard you were back, but I did not have time to find you. I was in drills with my master for most of the day." Tyro noticed the glint of a beaded chain hanging from Donol's head, bobbing slightly as he spoke.

Tyro grinned back, seeing his friend again was a respite he hadn't even realized he had been craving. He wanted to grab him in a tight hug but Gavyn was still right there. Hopefully the Jedi Master wasn't too upset about this interruption. Tyro decided he would wait a moment before seeing if that was true. He would rather deal with a reprimand later than miss this chance for a proper greeting...and goodbye. "Your master? That's great! When? Congratulations!"

"It was just after you left." Excitement waned. "Oh Tyro, I tried to tell everyone what really happened but they wouldn't listen. I thought I would never see you again. I wish I could have been there for you more-"

"Donol, you were there." Tyro could never thank him enough for keeping him sane during the trials for his old master. "Knock it off. Now tell me about you," Tyro grinned, giving Donol a playful push. The guy was always putting people before himself.

"Honestly there is not much to tell. I have been at the temple, training with my Master. He requested some time for that before we were assigned at any battles." Donol's tone was one of plain acceptance. Though he seemed to acknowledge that war was about to become his life, but the idea of it stung Tyro. Donol was only eleven, which had never mattered before, but that just seemed...wrong now. He was almost insufferably kind too, trying to imagine what he would be like on a battlefield was impossible.

"Hm," Tyro acknowledged, not knowing what else to say to that. "Things will work out," he tried.

"Of course," came the automatic agreement with a wan smile. Donol looked him over, eyes lingering on Tyro's bag. "Leaving again then?" He asked with a hint of regret.

"Yea, we've got a transport waiting." It hurt Tyro to have to say that. Donol deserved more of his time, and a conversation that was about something other than just Tyro's life. They would see each other again soon, he assured himself. Hesitantly he looked back to Gavyn.

Gavyn hung back as Tyro caught up with his friend. He recognized Donol from a demonstration a year or two ago, of students looking to be taken as Padawans. The boy had performed well, but Gavyn could not justify bringing someone so young into battle. He could not afford to take months away from his post as a commander to train someone. Gavyn couldn't help but notice, with the two boys standing next to each other, how young Tyro was as well. He was tall for his age, but he hadn't seen too much violence- and certainly nothing like the frontlines of war. He could only hope that his new apprentice would be able to keep up and learn fast. And hope he wasn't dragging Tyro away from a long life of AgriCorps, only to die in the midst of a war.

Nodding to Tyro when he glanced back to him, Gavyn made it clear that they should hurry to the hangar.

Tyro gave a quick nod back before turning to say his final goodbye to Donol. "Take care of yourself okay? I owe you a real conversation, got it?"

"Sure thing," Donol smiled. "Make sure you take care of yourself as well. We will see eachother again before we know it. It will not be so bad."

"For sure," Tyro smiled at Donol, but as he turned away it faded to melancholy.

Gavyn walked a few paces, wearing the expression of a soldier's resolve. He paused, however, as his heart fell. If he was honest with himself, he knew that Tyro and Donol would never see each other again. War was a dangerous place for both of them, and battles spanned the galaxy. The likelihood they would be able to find each other in this place of peace was slim. Gavyn turned back around to the young Ithorian. "Why don't you come along, Donol?" He asked. "You can see us off."

* * *

**A/N:**

_And so concludes part 2. _

_Thank you so much for reading! It would be great to hear what you think, whatever your comments or critiques may be!_

_Part 3 will be out some time next week, a new story in the series complete with clones, battle, and its consequences._


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